possibly germans...

Sep 15, 2005, 2:10 PM

finally someone at ESPN writes something good about us:

Joe Schaud
ESPN Insider Weblog

Don't Be Cruel

I met Clemson quarterback Charlie Whitehurst for the first time at ACC media days this year and there are two things I vividly recall. First, he didn't mind that I said he sounds like Elvis. Really, he does. Second, he admitted that he "sucked" last season.
Who doesn't appreciate honesty like that?

So Whitehurst got this new offensive coordinator -- a guy they call the "Mad Scientist" -- Rob Spence of Toledo, and all of the sudden his team is 2-0 and he's completing 78 percent of his passes.

"I knew it was something like that," he said Tuesday.

Whitehurst and his new strategy -- don't force passes (Clemson has zero turnovers headed into this week's game at Miami) and make good decisions ("pretty simple, huh?" he said) -- seems to be working.

He's calling audibles at the line. He's actually using the play-action pass. His offense is more unpredictable. And he's still got all the physical tools.

In fact, Spence said: "His physical is skills are outstanding. He's very strong. Quick trigger. Excellent arm strength. Great velocity. Can be extremely accurate. Very, very intelligent. High football IQ. The stature through genetics. It's all there."

What Spence has helped Whitehurst do is restore confidence.

So here's a Whitehurst take. Think … Don't Be Cruel … Which some Clemson fans were to Whitehurst on campus last season, when he had twice as many interceptions as touchdowns after entering the season as a Heisman candidate.

Charlie Whitehurst -- in his own words:
"I'd say the lowest point of last season came after this game against Virginia. We lost something like 30-10 and the Sunday after the game, I'm thinking, 'Well, I only threw one interception and we lost by 20. So it wasn't as bad as last week.'

"And that was a scary moment. I'm thinking, 'Losing has become a habit. Interceptions have become a habit. And they had.' It was very scary.

"My Dad would do what he could. He'd just say, 'It's got to get better, son. It can't get any worse.' I felt fortunate I lived off campus. I mean, I was only on-campus an hour or two a day. It's not like anybody was nasty. But I'm getting a few more pats on the back after wins so far this season.

"You want to know what Rob Spence is like? Candid. In everything he does. He's different than anybody I've been around. In meetings. On the field.

"James Davis breaks this long run in the first game and he's yelling, 'That's our stallion, baby! He's a stallion! He's a stallion!' It was pretty funny.

"They call Coach Spence the 'Mad Scientist' for a reason. You see him and he's in there just watching film. Never sleeping. That's what it boils down to. He's a bright guy.

"I remember on the Friday night before the first game I said, 'You gonna get some sleep?' He said, 'No.' Didn't even smile. But that's how these coaches are now. It's crazy. He's got us in there with him.

"He's shown me cool stuff, too. I had a quick release before. But Coach Spence shows me these little things. He said, 'You know, if you push the ball back a little further you'll get an even quicker release.' And it's worked.

"I've been watching these tapes of Peyton Manning and Brett Favre. It's funny. They're not always fundamentally sound. But it seems to work for them.

"I think over the next few weeks, you may see us begin to open up our offense a little bit. Maybe take a few more riskier-type plays. But you know what? If my career has told me anything, it's that efficiency is the name of the game. What you want is high percentages. Our goal is to be over 70 percent at the end of the season.

"We've got Miami this week. And the ACC game is changing, you know? The talent is leveling out. They still have unbelievable talent, but it's leveling out. We're not intimidated. We're not intimidated because we've won there.

"I'm feeling pretty good right now. Winning? It pretty much takes care of everything."

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possibly germans...

Best article of the week thus far.***

That's our stallion, baby! HAHAHA. I love it.***

The Mad Scientist....

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